- Introduction to Solar Energy and Its Applications
Summary:
Students explore how solar energy can serve as a practical solution for meeting human energy needs, and what trade-offs must be considered when adopting it.
Learning Objectives:
Instruction in this lesson should result in students achieving the following objectives:
1. Define solar energy and explain how it is collected and converted into electricity or thermal energy for practical use
2. Describe potential advantages of using solar energy.
3. Discuss potential disadvantages of using solar energy.
Standards:
NGSS Performance Expectations:
4-PS3-4
CEWD ENR Content Standards (Secondary):
CE.01.02.01.b
CE.01.03.01.a
Indiana NLPS Competency Domains:
5229.D2.1
5229.D2.6
5229.D2.8
5229.D8.3
- Passive Environmental Systems
Summary:
Students learn how building design and material choices work together to regulate indoor climate and improve energy efficiency without relying on mechanical systems.
Learning Objectives:
Instruction in this lesson should result in students achieving the following objectives:
1. Describe the fundamental components of a photovoltaic system and explain how they work together to convert sunlight into electricity.
2. Explain the purpose and function of a photovoltaic cell.
3. Compare and contrast stand-alone and grid-connected photovoltaic systems, including their components, advantages, and limitations.
Standards
NGSS Performance Expectations: 4-PS3-4 CEWD ENR Content Standards (Secondary): CE.01.03.01.a CE.01.03.01.b Indiana NLPS Competency Domains: 5229.D2.3 5229.D2.4 5229.D2.11
- Introduction to Photovoltaic Systems
Summary:
Students learn how photovoltaic systems convert sunlight into usable electricity, and how system design choices affect the performance of stand-alone and grid-connected systems.
Learning Objectives:
Instruction in this lesson should result in students achieving the following objectives:
1. Describe the fundamental components of a photovoltaic system and explain how they work together to convert sunlight into electricity.
2. Explain the purpose and function of a photovoltaic cell.
3. Compare and contrast stand-alone and grid-connected photovoltaic systems, including their components, advantages, and limitations.
Standards:
NGSS Performance Expectations:
4-PS3-4
CEWD ENR Content Standards (Secondary):
CE.01.03.01.a
CE.01.03.01.b
Indiana NLPS Competency Domains:
5229.D2.3
5229.D2.4
5229.D2.11
- Impact of Movement, Position, and Environmental Factors on Solar Energy
Summary:
Students learn how Earth’s movements and environmental conditions shape when, where, and how solar energy reaches the planet—and how much of it can be captured.
Learning Objectives:
Instruction in this lesson should result in students achieving the following objectives:
1.ExplainhowEarth’saxialrotationandorbitalrevolutioninfluencetheintensity and distribution of solar energy across the planet.
2. Describe how Earth’s rotation determines which regions experience daytime and nighttime based on their orientation to the sun.
3.Analyzeenvironmentalinfluencesonsolarirradiation,includinghowatmosphericandclimate-relatedfactorsaffectsolarenergyavailability.
Standards:
NGSS Performance Expectations:
5-ESS1-2
HS-ESS2-4
CEWD ENR Content Standard (Secondary):
CE.01.03.01.a
Indiana NLPS Competency Domains: 5229.D2.9
5229.D8.1 5229.D2.10
5229.D9.1
5229.D2.12
5229.D9.2